What is the use if we tell people that God has all authority, that He has given
all authority to His Son Jesus Christ, that Jesus displayed God’s authority
by obeying His Father, and that God expects us to live our lives in submission
to His authority, if in fact we ourselves do not obey Him?

The New Testament writer James makes it clear that God wants more than lip
service. God wants obedience. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

The Old Testament narrative, found in 1 Samuel 15, speaks pointedly about the
importance of obedience to God in every detail.

The Prophet Gives an Order to Saul

Because of the Amalekite nation’s sins, King Saul was to lead his army into
battle and destroy the Amalekites totally. The prophet Samuel told Saul explicitly,
“Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not
spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep,
camel and donkey” (1 Samuel 15:3).

The King Responds

Mustering his forces, Saul goes into battle, defeats the Amalekite nation,
and takes their king Agag captive. The Bible says, “He also took Agag king of
the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of
the sword” (1 Samuel 15:8).

Saul destroys the people and most of the livestock, as he was commanded, but
he does not keep every detail of God’s command.

“But Saul and the people spared
Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that
was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised
and worthless, that they utterly destroyed” (1 Samuel 15:9).

God Is Displeased with Saul

The Lord tells the prophet Samuel that King Saul did not carry out His orders.
As a result, Samuel spends a sleepless night in anguish and prayer to God (1 Samuel 15:11).

The Prophet Confronts Saul

Samuel gets up early the next morning and searches for Saul, who is touring
the country to announce his victory, even erecting a monument to honor his achievement.
When they meet, Saul compliments Samuel and basically says, “Mission accomplished.”

Samuel responds with a classic question. “If you did all that God commanded,
why do I hear the bleating of sheep and the lowing of oxen?” Samuel reminds
Saul that his orders came directly from the Lord, with exact details, but he
failed to carry them out.

Saul’s Excuses

Saul shifts blame to the people, saying they wanted the sheep and oxen. In
fact, he argues he did what he was told. In response, Samuel condemns his actions
as direct disobedience, and Saul responds with a confession.

End of Story?

Is this the end of the story? Not quite! When Samuel tells Saul that he had
failed to obey the Lord’s Word completely, Samuel shares several timeless truths
about the importance of obedience.

First, he asks a question and then answers it: “Has the Lord as great delight
in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?” The
answer: “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.”

Samuel next calls the king’s actions “rebellion.” To know God’s commands and
willingly disobey even a portion of them is rebellion. Saul, a king who executed
rebels, understood the seriousness of this charge.

Samuel equates rebellion, or disobedience, with cultic practices!

Samuel makes another statement to emphasize the seriousness of disobedience:
“For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity
and idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:23, NASB). Samuel equates rebellion, or disobedience,
with cultic practices! This is pretty strong language, because God really sees
rebelliousness as serious sin.

In the end, Samuel informs Saul that this sin will cost him his kingdom. “Because
you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being
king.” Our actions—or non-actions—have consequences.

It is interesting that Saul then “repents” and says he sinned because he feared
the people. Yet we suspect it is not a true confession from the heart. We see
Saul’s real heart when, as Samuel turns to walk away, Saul grabs Samuel by his
robe with such force that it tears the coat. Samuel turns to Saul and says that,
just as Saul has torn his coat, God will tear Saul’s kingdom from him.

What a consequence! What a clear illustration for all of us! Obedience to the
Word of the Lord, not just in general terms but in every detail, is very important
to our God.

Truly it is not enough to be a hearer; we must follow through and be a doer
of the Word. Our Savior says to us, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

God does not want lip service but heart and life service.

Lord, what area of my life today needs to be brought under your authority in
full compliance to your Holy Word?

advertisements

Related Downloads

Biblical Authority Discussion Questions: God Rules

Answers Magazine

July – September 2008

In this issue discover the wonders of God’s creation and see how our Creator is clearly seen all around us. Articles cover bizarre creatures in the fossil record, the intricate “matrix” of bacteria, the eye, and many other marvels.

Risk-free trial issue!

First name:

Last name:

Email:

Address:

Address2:

City:

State:

Zip:

Leave unfilled:

If you decide you want to keep Answers coming, simply pay your invoice for just $24 and receive four issues (a full year) more. If not, write “cancel” across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless!

Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.
New subscribers only. No gift subscriptions.Offer valid in U.S. only.